A vacuum sucking and holding device which sucks and holds an object by vacuuming is sometimes used in following cases: an object is processed or treated while being held; an object is transferred while being held on a carrier; and an object is positionally adjusted (aligned) while being held on a carrier (see Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2003-282427 A (Publication Date: Oct. 3, 2003)). Such a vacuum sucking and holding device is suitable for use especially in performing a process on and alignment for a substrate or the like, because in using the vacuum sucking and holding device, an object to be sucked and held does not need any special treatment on itself, and moreover the vacuum sucking and holding device hardly hurts the object in holding the object.
However, there is an object which cannot be sucked appropriately by the vacuum sucking and holding device. For example, a support plate is described in Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2006-135272 A (Publication Date: May 25, 2006). The support plate has a plurality of through holes, and therefore the support plate cannot be sucked by the vacuum sucking and holding device. That is, when the vacuum sucking and holding device vacuums the support plate, air is inflowed through the through holes, and therefore a vacuum state (reduced-pressure state) cannot be produced between the support plate and the vacuum sucking and holding device. As a result, the support plate cannot be sucked. Moreover, for example, a copper substrate etc. may have a flexure, which allow air to inflow from a gap formed by the flexure. This prevents the vacuum sucking and holding device from sucking and holding the substrate.
Previously, the following devices are used for an object which is not suitable for being sucked and held by such a vacuum sucking and holding device. As shown in FIG. 10, a device holds an object by a frictional force of such as rubber. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, a device holds an object to be held, by setting the object in a frame whose shape is fit with the object.
As described above, there exists no device which can hold various objects without fear of positional displacement so far.
For example, as described above, there is an object which is not suitable for being sucked and held. Moreover, in using a device provided with a rubber 1002 or the like for holding an object 1001 by a frictional force as shown in FIG. 10, a force for holding the object 1001 is only the frictional force. Therefore, when a large force is applied on the object 1001, the object 1001 would be positionally displaced with respect to a supporting base 1003. Further, in using a device provided with a supporting base 1102 having a frame whose shape fits with an object to be held 1101 as shown in FIG. 11, the object 1101 is held by being set in the frame. For a smooth set-in, a gap (allowance) 1103 is required, and because of the gap 1103, positional displacement of the object 1101 with respect to the supporting base 1102 may occur.
Therefore, there is a demand for a device which can hold various objects without the fear of positional displacement.